Mary Whittington, 11, and George Deaton, 67, Have Died, Dec. 1, 1923

Mary V., 11-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Whittington, died Friday morning at 2 o’clock at her home in No. 4 township. Funeral services were held this morning at 11 o’clock and interment made in Oakwood cemetery in this city.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, December 1, 1923

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George Deaton Dead

Mooresville Enterprise

George L. Deaton, aged 67 years and five months, died Monday afternoon at 5 o’clock at the home of his great nephew, Mr. Oscar Spears, several miles west of this city, where he had made his home for the past several months.

The deceased was a son of the late James and Sarah Deaton and was born and reared at the old Jimmie Deaton place where the Mooresville cotton mills now stand. When a young man he entered as an apprentice of Sam Bracken and his older brother, P.S. Deaton, at Concord where he learned the cabinet and carpenter trade. In 1886 he left Concord and located for a short while at Memphis, Tenn., but he had been there only a short while when the late William Patterson of Cabarrus overtook him with his family, en route to Texas. Mr. Deaton joined the Patterson party and after a few days out of Memphis he was married to Patterson’s daughter, Mrs. Sarah Blackwelder, whom he had known back at Concord.

He journeyed on to Texas and located at Bryan, where he lived for many years. He was a noted contractor and builder in the early days of the Texas boom, and was the contractor who built much of the University of Texas buildings at Austin. He finally returned and moved to his ranch at Ledbetter and lived there for a number of years.

About 20 years ago, while hauling in hay from his farm, he fell from the wagon and sustained injuries to his spine, which made him an invalid for life. Mrs. Deaton died probably 18 years ago, and since that time he has made many journeys back and forth to Texas. For the past two years he has been almost helpless.

The deceased is survived by one sister, Mrs. Mrs. G.M. Morrow, and one brother, Mr. C.C. Deaton, who lives near Dollie. He has numerous nephews and nieces throughout this section. He was a member of a family of 14 children, 11 sons and 3 daughters.

Funeral services were held at Central Methodist Church at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. L.B. Abernethy, the interment being made in Willow Valley cemetery. Nephews of the deceased acted as pall bearers.

From page 2 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, December 1, 1923